Chicago's Two Top Teams Control Elgin Cycling Classic

After a sub-par result at Saturday's Tour of Elk Grove, only three of us lined up for the category three race at the Elgin Cycling Classic. Chad, Uwe, and I didn't really get a chance to discuss the tactics for the day but were still able to work as a single unit.

After a few warm-up laps, the attacks started with me going off the front first. I was just trying to keep the early breaks from getting away and to keep my position close to the front for any primes. As soon as I was caught, Chad countered. He went with a few others, but they were reeled in fairly quickly. It seemed it would go this way until the right combination of riders was reached. Shortly after, and about the 20 minute mark, Julian from VitaminWater-Trek snuck off the front solo on the backside. Seeing as there was a strong representation of VitaminWater-Trek guys, I jumped and easily bridged up to Julian. When Julian saw my friendly face, he knew that this break was for real.

We quickly stretched the time gap to thirty seconds. After a few more laps of continuous and smooth pulls, I believe the time gap increased even more. The announcer then called out a 100 dollar prime for the two of us. We agreed to split any and all primes evenly, to make sure that we worked together smoothly and to ensure that the break would stick. Julian did most of the work on the backside as I monitored the pack's distance, and I would take over on the home stretch and carry it through the high speed chicane. Our team mates in the pack did a tremendous job of foiling any and all attempts to bring us back.

On one of our trips through the chicane, my front end started washing out at close to 35 mph. Miraculously, I kept my bike upright and did not crash into the hay bales much to Julian's relief since he was glued to my wheel.

When the pack started to close in, the adrenaline rose. They came dangerously close at least twice before the wheel pit closed. At that point another prime was called to the leader of the next lap--100 dollars to the first rider across the line--and the pack as barreling down on us. With only two laps to go, we were about to get caught, but then a lone unattached rider bridged to us in an attempt to steal the prime. At that point, it was two against one.

Coming out of the final corner the unattached rider jumped around Julian and got a pretty good lead. Unfortunately for him, Julian and I had made an alliance and I was a better sprinter. I clicked down a gear, jumped, and gapped both by at least four bike lengths as we crossed the finish with one lap left. I eased up some to safely navigate the chicane for the final time and they came around me with the pack hot on their heels. We took very short, hard, and fast pulls to keep from being gobbled up by the rest of the race. Between turns three and four Julian started his sprint and pulled away with the other rider. Exiting the fourth and final turn I had to wind up and close a sizable gap to them as the unattached rider started to gap Julian. I gave it all I had and the three of us crossed the line together for a photo finish. We were millimeters apart and nearly rubbing shoulders at the end. Julian was third, I was second, and unattached won. Julian and I split the lion's share of the primes and took home good money. I would even venture to say that we each made more than the lone rider even though he finished ahead of us.

None of this would have been possible without the combined and dominant efforts of Team Get A Grip and VitaminWater- Trek. The break lasted the entire second half of the race.

-Chip